Narc-Kenya party leader Martha Karua has disclosed that she is heading to the General Court Martial in Makindye, Kampala, to represent Kizza Besigye after the Ugandan Law Council handed her a temporary practicing certificate on Ugandan jurisdiction.
In a statement on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, Karua disclosed that she will be representing Besigye and Hajj Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya alongside other Ugandan lawmakers before the General Court Martial today.
She further thanked the Uganda Law Society, the Law Society of Kenya, and all those who made it possible.
“Thank you @IsaacSsemakadde @EriasLukwago @peace_proscovia and my sister lawyers In Uganda @lawsocietykenya @ealawsociety and all well-wishers who made this milestone possible. Now headed to Makindye to represent @kizzabesigye1 and Obeid Lutale alongside my local colleagues,” she posted on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.
Karua on representing Besigye
On Monday, January 6, 2025, Karua was handed a temporary practicing certificate by the Law Council; the approval gave her the go-ahead to represent Uganda’s opposition leader in an ongoing case in Uganda’s Court Martial.
Karua had applied to represent Besigye and Kamulegeya, who are facing serious charges related to the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition; however, it was rejected on December 6, 2024, by the Uganda Council, which stated that it lacked proper documentation and was politically motivated.
Besigye’s wife, Byanyima, in a statement shared via her official X account, confirmed that Karua had not been granted the temporary practising license.
“We begin at the military court with injustice. Lead lawyer for @kizzabesigye1 @MarthaKarua is not granted a practicing certificate by the Law Council. They are at a retreat on Entebbe beach! A man charged with capital offences can’t have his defense team,” Byanyima stated.
Besigye’s trial commenced on Monday, December 2, 2024.
Besigye was arrested in Kenya and deported to Uganda on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, and was presented in the Ugandan military court on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.
He had been scheduled to speak at Karua’s book launch on November 17, 2024, but failed to appear.
